2018/2019 Hockey Thread

[sspade]

1/4 of the way through the season and here are the top 5 teams. Pleasantly surprised to see my Sabres doing so well... doubtful they can remain this high all season but the playoffs are looking like a real possibility which is exciting to say the least!

Thoughts/comments on whether any of these teams will remain here at the 50% mark?

[2blu]

Originally Posted by sspade

1/4 of the way through the season and here are the top 5 teams. Pleasantly surprised to see my Sabres doing so well... doubtful they can remain this high all season but the playoffs are looking like a real possibility which is exciting to say the least!

Thoughts/comments on whether any of these teams will remain here at the 50% mark?

Honestly it’s so close right now that top 5 can get reordered backwards within one week. If I had to bet I would say Toronto and Nashville take the top 2, I can see Tampa sliding with Domingue as their starter.

[sspade]

Cant remember the last time the Atlantic division had 3 of the top 4 teams in the league... maybe never...

[ShopVac]

And....welcome to "Fire your coach Tuesday"...today we find Yeo and McLellan looking for jobs.

Checking the wire...yep, Sullivan still employed in Pittsburgh.

[Ralph335]

You are ready to fire Sullivan already? Wanna trade for Hak?

[ShopVac]

^ God no...friken deer in the headlights ^

Do think some changes are in order. I'd ditch Recchi...not a coach...decent scout maybe. Need a change of goalie...Murray is damaged goods. Better first passes from D. Maybe Olli Matta has to go.

Said it would be bad when Shultz got hurt...didnt think it was going to be this bad.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by Ralph335

Need a goalie? The Flyers just happen to have 6 on the professional roster between the NHL & AHL....
Give you old buddies Ron Hextall and Dean Lombardi a call about a shiny new, never hurt at all Michal Neuvirth.

Peterson just shut out the blues last night so maybe he just needed to see some NHL shots to up his stats!

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

The two King's fans I know are both very low on the team - thinking major rebuild is necessary.

It is. We have been a bit too slow in rebuilding/replacing the aging veterans. We are a slow team in a fast league.

[Ralph335]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

^ God no...friken deer in the headlights ^

Do think some changes are in order. I'd ditch Recchi...not a coach...decent scout maybe. Need a change of goalie...Murray is damaged goods. Better first passes from D. Maybe Olli Matta has to go.

Said it would be bad when Shultz got hurt...didnt think it was going to be this bad.

That's my biggest problem with Hak. ZERO emotion on the bench.

Dang you guys are tough on goalies. Murray won you 2 cups and you are already ready to ditch him.
And I thought Philly was rough on goalies.

[cotmfk]

Originally Posted by Ralph335

That's my biggest problem with Hak. ZERO emotion on the bench.

Dang you guys are tough on goalies. Murray won you 2 cups and you are already ready to ditch him.
And I thought Philly was rough on goalies.

From an outsider's perspective, it seems like Murray doesn't turn it on until the playoffs. Unfortunately for Pitts, if they don't get to the playoffs it doesn't matter!

But yeah, 2 cups first two years and already ready to move on is wild. Seems like I remember Fleury having some off years as well - but his involved being bad in the playoffs!

[Ralph335]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

From an outsider's perspective, it seems like Murray doesn't turn it on until the playoffs. Unfortunately for Pitts, if they don't get to the playoffs it doesn't matter!

But yeah, 2 cups first two years and already ready to move on is wild. Seems like I remember Fleury having some off years as well - but his involved being bad in the playoffs!

So get him in a tandem to take some of the workload off of him.

[ShopVac]

So, around 6:45pm last night - started thinking about the new Penguin hat I got last season. After obtaining around this time last season...the Pens went into a little funk. I always thought the hat was a little bit bad luck.

Well...no cup last year and what is seemingly the worst team play I've seen post-Lemieux this season...something had to go.

And with this...I exorcised the Pens Demons.



Pens win handily...who knew it was me all this time? Both Crosby and Lemieux called me after the game last night and personally thanked me for my sacrifice needed for the good of the team.

[2blu]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

So, around 6:45pm last night - started thinking about the new Penguin hat I got last season. After obtaining around this time last season...the Pens went into a little funk. I always thought the hat was a little bit bad luck.

Well...no cup last year and what is seemingly the worst team play I've seen post-Lemieux this season...something had to go.

And with this...I exorcised the Pens Demons.



Pens win handily...who knew it was me all this time? Both Crosby and Lemieux called me after the game last night and personally thanked me for my sacrifice needed for the good of the team.

epic.

[cotmfk]

I woke up this weekend and Buffalo was on a nine game win streak and leading the NHL in points.

Thought it was a weird dream - not a nightmare, not a fantasy - but no, it's true. Buffalo IS on a nine game win streak and WAS in first place (briefly)!

:StrangerThings:

[Ralph335]

In what backwards ass world is Ron Hextall fired before Peter Chiarelli?

My guess is Hexy refused to fire Hakstol and Comcast decided to just axe him first.

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by Ralph335

In what backwards ass world is Ron Hextall fired before Peter Chiarelli?

My guess is Hexy refused to fire Hakstol and Comcast decided to just axe him first.

I'm lost on this one too...assume the new GM will can Hakstol...no? I watched the Ranger game...seemed okay to me (although, tie game until late). Guess the Leafs put the icing on the cake...

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by cotmfk

I woke up this weekend and Buffalo was on a nine game win streak and leading the NHL in points.

Thought it was a weird dream - not a nightmare, not a fantasy - but no, it's true. Buffalo IS on a nine game win streak and WAS in first place (briefly)!

:StrangerThings:

Give me "Things that won't last - for $200, Alex"

Cause, you know...I burned my Pens hat and we're gonna right this ship.

[Ralph335]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

I'm lost on this one too...assume the new GM will can Hakstol...no? I watched the Ranger game...seemed okay to me (although, tie game until late). Guess the Leafs put the icing on the cake...

Yeah that's what upper management said, Hak's fate is in the hands of whoever the new GM is.
The Rangers game was fine but the Leafs game sounded like it was a giant dumpster fire. I didn't watch because when I went to turn it on, it was 4-0 in the 1st and a no-name fringe player for the Leafs had a hat trick already.
Last night was more of the same. Gave up in the 3rd and let a terrible Sens team get back into the game and gave up the game winning goal with 2 minutes left.

It sounds like there were 'philosophical differences' on the plan for the franchise. Hexy was inflexible and stubborn as shit. Guess he said no he wouldnt do anything one too many times.
Wouldn't can Hak for Quenneville. Didn't want to bring Carter Hart up. Didn't want to shake things up and make a trade. Didn't fix the penalty kill. Etc etc.

Everything I'm hearing from Homer is that they are looking outside the organization for the replacement. So no Dean Lombardi at least

[UncleWede]

ESPN keeps updating me with football scores, but it has the Vegas Knights listed as one of the teams

AND, it seems they are on both ends of the spectrum


ESPN doesn't seem to even notify me about the 'king guys any more. . .

[Ralph335]

Homer is keeping the firings coming. Cleaning house...

Assistant GM Chris Pryor fired.
Assistant Coach Gord Murphy fired.
Calvin Pickard put on waivers.

Yet the terrible coach and terrible PK coach are still employed. Keep firing Homer!

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by Ralph335

Homer is keeping the firings coming. Cleaning house...

Assistant GM Chris Pryor fired.
Assistant Coach Gord Murphy fired.
Calvin Pickard put on waivers.

Yet the terrible coach and terrible PK coach are still employed. Keep firing Homer!

Makes sense if you have a new GM coming in...fire the coach once you get the GM and then and let him pick the new guy. Don't want to do that before hand and higher a guy the GM doesn't believe in.

Pens did this when the fired Ray Shero but kept disco Dan. When Rutherford came in...Balsma was gone. Thing is...coach is put in initially was worse (Johnston)...and he only lasted a year.

[Ralph335]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Makes sense if you have a new GM coming in...fire the coach once you get the GM and then and let him pick the new guy. Don't want to do that before hand and higher a guy the GM doesn't believe in.

Pens did this when the fired Ray Shero but kept disco Dan. When Rutherford came in...Balsma was gone. Thing is...coach is put in initially was worse (Johnston)...and he only lasted a year.

But then you got Sullivan. And we all know how that worked out.

Yeah I know it HOPEFULLY is just a matter of time until Hak is gone. But it can't come soon enough.

Dale freaking Weise is playing 2nd line minutes while JVR is on the 3rd line. I will never understand Hak's infatuation of terrible hockey players like Lehtera Weise, Vandevelde, Bellemare, etc.